Randy Newman's Faust (1993 Concept Cast)

CD Details

Amazon.com

With his career built on twin pillars of concise narrative songwriting for his own albums and evocative orchestral composition for his film scores, Randy Newman is eminently qualified to resuscitate musical theater. And while the initial stage production of his reworking of Goethe has stalled west of Broadway, the 1995 studio version of Faust is a triumph. In Newman’s hand, the Faustian myth transforms its title hero into a clueless rocker (sung by Don Henley), the Devil into a huckster (sung by, who else, Newman himself), and God into a callow yuppie (James Taylor, in the project’s most revelatory performance, every bit as funny as the composer’s). With Bonnie Raitt and Linda Ronstadt completing this dream cast, Newman honors the form’s theatrical demands with ensemble show-stoppers (the opening “Glory Train”), expository duets (“How Great Our Lord”), and romantic ballads (“Feels Like Home”), framing the 17 songs with his own rich orchestrations and generous choral support. It’s devilishly good. –Sam Sutherland

Product description

CD – FAUST – EAN 093624567226 – REPRISE – DON HENLEY – ELTON JOHN – RANDY NEWMAN – LINDA RONSTADT – JAMES TAYLOR